Inge Lehmann (1888 - 1993)

Inge Lehmann was a Danish seismologist and geologist whose work led to the discovery that the earth's core is solid, not liquid as previously thought. She lived until 104 and was active in the field until her last years.

Lehmann had a younger sister, Harriet, who became a movie writer and who had family and children in contrast to Lehmann, who lived by herself all her life.

Known for
Proving the earth's core is solid

Longest-living woman scientist

Discovered another seismic discontinuity, later named the Lehmann discontinuity. Francis Birch noted that the "Lehmann discontinuity was discovered through exacting scrutiny of seismic records by a master of a black art for which no amount of computerization is likely to be a complete substitute."

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